Marketing director Amy Hutchinson said: “We had really good feedback from last year's event and had the most entries ever, 566. This year we hope to break the 600 threshold.”
The BPIF, Oxford Brookes University, the Publishers Association, The Bookseller and The BookMachine are working together for the awards in 2017.
“We want printers as well as publishers and designers to put forward entries. The idea is for the three industries to get together, sit around the table to chat and discuss.”
She said Boss Print would produce the book of the night again and unique features could include creative textures, images or binding.
“We hope everyone at the event will look at the book, touch it and scrutinise the quality. This must be the only awards event where people touch, sniff and pull the [awards] book apart before reading it.”
The event is billed as the only industry awards to promote and celebrate the excellence and craftsmanship of the British book design and production industry.
Last year Baroness Floella Benjamin, the former Play School presenter, was guest speaker and gave an impassioned talk on the importance of printed books.
Best British Book and Book of the Year award in 2016 went to the Folio Society’s Alice in Wonderland limited edition, which involved four printers: Smith Settle Printing & Bookbinding in Leeds, London’s Napier Jones, New Leaf Editions in Vancouver, and The Logan Press in Wellingborough.
All books published between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2017 are eligible for entry in this year’s awards, which features 17 categories, including a student category where the winner receives £500 as well as a short internship with a leading designer, publisher or printer.
The awards are judged by industry experts from the worlds of design, publishing and production.
Deadline for entries is Friday 30 June 2017 and the winners will be unveiled at the Millennium Hotel London, Mayfair on 16 November 2017.
For more information on the awards visit www.britishbookawards.org or contact Heena Bulsara at the BPIF on 020 7915 8338 or heena.bulsara@bpif.org.uk
